Assignment-3

Title: AS CHINA HAS GROWN MORE POWERFUL, BECOMING THE WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY, THEY HAVE ENTERED INTO LAND DISPUTES CLAIMING TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY

OTHER STATES? NOW THAT INDIA HAS BECOME THE 3 RD LARGEST ECONOMY IN THE WORLD, WILL THEY FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF CHINA AND BEING TRYING TO TAKE LAND AND MARINE SPACE

FROM THEIR NEIGHBOR’S.

Name: SYED SHAKIL ISLAM

ID: 1230313630

COURSE: INT 101

INSTRUCTOR: PROFESSOR RICARDO WHEATLY

DATE: 7th December, 2014

China (PRC), is a sovereign state located in East Asia. It is the world's most

populous country, with a population of over 1.35 billion. Covering

approximately 9.6 million square kilometers, China is the wor0ld's second-

largest country by land area. China has become one of the world's fastest-

growing major economies. As of 2013, it is the world's second-largest

economy by nominal total GDP and is also the world's largest exporter and

importer of goods. (Shen, 2012) China is a recognized nuclear weapons state

and has the world's largest standing army, with the second-largest defense

budget.

The world is divided in countless ways, by seas, cultures, languages,

religions and wealth. But the most contentious divide is that of the political

borders. The Ministry of Geological Resources and Mining of the People's

Republic of China estimate that the South China Sea may contain 17.7 billion

tons of crude oil. In the years following the announcement by the ministry,

the claims regarding the South China Sea islands intensified. China and

Vietnam are accusing each other of escalating tensions over Chinese oil

exploration in the South China Sea, with confrontations between ships near

the Paracel Islands, which both countries claim. (Source: ‘Associated Press’).

India is a country in south Asia. It is the seventh largest country by area and

the second largest populated country in the world. The Indian Economy is the

World’s Tenth largest economy by nominal GDP (Gross Domestic Product)

and PPP (Purchasing Power Parity). In the recent times India became one of

the fastest growing major economies in the world. It also has the Third

largest Standing Army in world and is currently ninth among nations

regarding Military Expenditure. India has the Second largest Labor force in

the world. It is the Eleventh-largest Importer and Ninth-largest Exporter in

the world. (Source: ‘The Indian Expansionism’, Arvind.)

Since the late 60’s India has been captivating the world’s attention with their

growing power. In fact, it is one of the most powerful countries in the whole

Asia. With high succession in power India’s thirst for capturing its neighbor’s

lands and maritime space has also increased. Like the unresolved dispute

over Kashmir with Pakistan (Associated Press, 2014), Border clashes with

Bangladesh and land disputes with China which recently was on the verge of

getting resolved. Let’s have a look at the Bangladesh dispute (The

Economist,2012).

The continuous battle between BSF (Border Security Force) & BGB (Border

Guard Bangladesh) has been going on for almost 15 years. Since 2000 about

945 Bangladeshis have been killed and over hundreds injured. Yet the new

transit project may be about more than just development. Some in Dhaka,

including military types, suspect it is intended to create an Indian security

corridor (Tharoor, 2012). It could open a way for army supplies to cross low-

lying Bangladesh rather than going via dreadful mountain roads which are

more prone to guerilla attacks.

While Bangladesh, having concave coastlines, delimits its sea border

southward from the edge of its land boundary, India stretches its claim

southeast wards, covering around thousands of miles in the Bay of

Bengal. As a result, India could more easily put down insurgents in Nagaland

and Manipur. The military types fear it might provoke reprisals by such

groups in Bangladesh. And recently India has been making their own Aircraft

carriers whereas Bangladesh is spending over $350 Million dollar in buying

India’s out of service navy ships. (Source: ‘The Indian Express’).

References:

1. The Economist

http://www.economist.com/blogs

2. The Indian Express

http://artsonline.monash.edu.au/mai/files/2012/07/rizwanashamshad.pdf

3. Shen, -Euasiacentre

http://www.euasiacentre.eu/pub_details.php?pub_id=46

4. Associated Press

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/08/india-pakistankashmir-

border-clashes

5. Arvind- The Indian Expansionism

http://www.ipcs.org/pdf_file/issue/SR97.pdf

6.Tharoor, I.- Banned Thoughts

http://www.bannedthought.net/India/PeoplesMarch/PM19992006/

archives/2004/jan2k4/indian.htm